Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Environmental scanning electron microscopy of the surface of normal and vitrified leaves of Gypsophila paniculata (Babies Breath) cultured in vitro

Leaf surfaces of non-tissue-cultured, vitrified and non-vitrified plantlets of Gypsophila paniculata (Babies Breath) were examined using an environmental scanning electron microscope. Non-tissue-cultured plants had a complete epidermal surface, recessed stomata and wax present on the leaf surface. The surface of tissue-cultured plantlets appeared similar to non-tissue-cultured plants excepting stomata were slightly protruding and less wax appeared to be present. In both non-tissue-cultured and tissue-cultured plants stomata were found both opened and closed and were observed closing. In contrast vitrified plantlets had abnormal, malformed stomata which appeared non-functional. The ventral surfaces of leaves seemed more normal than the dorsal, this may be due to the former receiving more light. Additionally, discontinuities were found in the epidermis. Often epidermal holes were found in association with stomatal apertures. It is suggested that the main cause of desiccation of vitrified G. paniculata plantlets ex vitro is due to loss of water from the discontinuity in epidermis and not because of non-functional stomata. Liquid water could be seen through the epidermal holes indicating that at least some of the extra water in vitrified plantlets is contained in the intercellular spaces

Effect of nematode and fungal treatments on nontarget turfgrass-inhabiting arthropod and nematode populations.

ABSTRACT Arthropod and nematode population densities in ÔTifwayÕ bermudagrass were studied in Þeld plots to determine the impact of long-term treatments with an organophosphate insecticide (chlorpyrifos), entomopathogenic nematodes [Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Heterorhabditidae), Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser), S. riobravis (Cabanilas, Poinar & Raulston) (Steinernematidae)], and an entomopathogenic fungus [Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Deuteromycotina: Hypomycetes)] applied alone and in combinations. Fifty-Þve arthropod families or suborders were recorded during a 2-yr period. Staphylinidae, Sminthuridae, Isotomidae, and Oribatida were the four most abundant species groups, accounting for 97.0% of the arthropods collected. Three orders of nematodes and a miscellaneous nematode category also were encountered. Tylenchida was the most abundant nematode species group, accounting for 77.2% of the nematodes collected. Populations of Lycosidae and Staphylinidae were not signiÞcantly different from the control in any treatment. However, chlorpyrifos reduced Lycosidae counts in comparison to H. bacteriophora, S. carpocapsae, and H. bacteriophora ϩ B. bassiana. Chlorpyrifos also lowered Staphylinidae counts in comparison to B. bassiana, S. carpocapsae, and S. riobravis. Miscellaneous Araneae, Formicidae, and Scelionidae were less abundant in the chlorpyrifos treated plots than they were in any others. By contrast, Sminthuridae densities were highest in the chlorpyrifos plots and were unaffected by any other treatment. In general, chlorpyrifos diminished the abundances of each of the following categories of arthropods compared with all other treatments: plant-inhabiting predators ϩ parasitoids, soil herbivores, thatch detritivores, and soil predators. By comparison, soil detritivores were as common in the chlorpyrifos treatment as they were in the B. bassiana, S. carpocapsae, H. bacteriophora ϩ B. bassiana, and S. riobravis ϩ B. bassiana treatments and were more abundant there than in the H. bacteriophora, S. riobravis, S carpocapsae ϩ B. bassiana, and untreated control treatments. In general, fungus ϩ nematode treatments showed no evidence of synergism and chlorpyrifos had a stronger negative impact on nontarget arthropod densities than did the microbial treatments